A Comparison of Questions and Tasks in Geography Textbooks before and after Curriculum Reform in China

Year 2015, Volume: 5 Issue: 3, 231 - 248, 31.12.2015

Daihu Yang Ziying Wang Di Xu

Abstract

This
study centres on the questions and tasks in geography textbooks written before
and after the curriculum reform in China. The aim of the study is to reveal the
recent changes in amount, learning outcomes and types of questions and tasks in
geography textbooks as well as the extent to which the ideas and intentions
advocated by the curriculum reform have been actualized in the questioning and
tasking practices of geography textbooks. Five geography textbooks written
before and after the curriculum reform have been quantitatively and
qualitatively analyzed and compared in terms of amount, learning outcomes and
type. The findings show that the questioning and tasking practices can be characterized
as an increase in amount, more emphasis on the intermediate-order cognitive
level of analysis, little concern for the affective and psychomotor abilities,
and less diversity of types of questions and tasks. Current textbook writing
does not fully and vigorously respond to the ideas and intentions articulated
by the curriculum reform. The amount, learning outcomes and types of questions
and tasks in the geography textbooks need to be adjusted so as to better meet
the aims of the curriculum reform.  

Keywords

Comparing, questions and tasks, geography textbook, curriculum reform, type, taxonomy of learning outcome

References

• Alkış, S. (2009). Turkish Geography Trainee Teachers' Perceptions of Geography. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 18(2), 120–133.
• Anderson, L., Krathwohl, D., Airasian, P., Cruikshank, K., Mayer, R., Pintrich, P., Raths, J. & Wittrock, M. (2008). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Trans. L. S. Pi, [in Chinese]. Shanghai: East China Normal University Press.
• Armbruster, B.B.; Ostertag, J. (1989). Questions in elementary science and social studies textbooks. Illinois: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Azar, A. (2005). Analysis of Turkish High-School Physics-Examination Questions and University Entrance Exams Questions According To Blooms’ Taxonomy, Journal of Turkish Science Education, 2(2), 144-150.
• Baskan, G.; Erduran, Y. (2009). Major Issues of Educational Reform in China and Russian Federation in the last decades of 20th century. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 4(2), 97–112.
• Barrett, T. (1976). A taxonomy of reading comprehension. In Teaching Reading in the Middle Grades, edited by R. Smith and T. C. Barrett, pp. 63–6. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing.
• Bednarz, S. W. (2004). US world geography textbooks: Their role in education reform. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 13(3), 223-238.
• Bloom, B., Engelhart, M., Furst, E., Hill, W. & Krathwohl, D. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: handbook I, the Classification of Educational Goals. New York: David McKay Company.
• Davila, K.; Talanquer, V. (2010). Classifying End-of-Chapter Questions and Problems for Selected General Chemistry Textbooks Used in the United States. Journal of Chemical Education, 87, (1), 97–101.
• Elo, S.; Kyngas, H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 107–115
• Erdogan, M., Marcinkowski, T. & Ok, A. (2009). Content analysis of selected features of K-8 environmental education research studies in Turkey, 1997-2007. Environmental Education Research, 15(5), 525-548.
• Finkelstein, J. M., L. E. Nielson, and T. Switzer. (1993). Primary elementary social studies instruction: A status report. Social Education, 57 (2), 64-69.
• Gao, J. (2003). A Narrative of the Reform of Secondary Geography Textbooks over past decades. [In Chinese]. Curriculum, Teaching Material and Method, 5, 55–58.
• Garner, R. (1992). Learning from school texts. Educational Psychologist, 27 (1), 53-63.
• Gottschalk, L. A. (1995). Content analysis of verbal behavior: New findings and clinical applications. Hillside, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
• Harrow, A. (1972). A taxonomy of the psychomotor domain: A Guide for Developing Behavioral Objectives. New York: David McKay Co.
• Janko, T.; Knecht, P. (2013). Visuals in Geography Textbooks: Categorization of Types and Assessment of Their Instructional Qualities. Review of International Geographical Education Online, 3(1), 93-110.
• Jennings, S. A. (2006). A Content Comparison of Six Physical Geography Textbooks Spanning a Century. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 15(1), 1–14.
• Jitendra, A. K., Nolet, V, Xin, Y. P., Gomez, O., Renouf, K,, Iskold, L., & DaCosta, J.(2001). An analysis of middle school geography textbooks: implications for students with learning problems. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 17(2), 151-173
• Jo, I.; Bednarz, S. W. (2011) Textbook Questions to Support Spatial Thinking: Differences in Spatiality by Question Location, Journal of Geography, 110(2),70-80
• Kahveci, A. (2010). Quantitative Analysis of Science and Chemistry Textbooks for Indicators of Reform: A complementary perspective. International Journal of Science Education, 32(22), 1495-1519.
• Krathwohl, D. (2002). “A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An Overview.” Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212–218.
• Krathwohl, D., Bloom, B. & Masia, B. (1964). Taxonomy of educational objectives: handbook II, affective domain. New York: David McKay Company.
• Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (second edition). pp. 111–251. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Lai, A. (1991). Curriculum Dissemination in the People’s Republic of China. In Curriculum Development in East Asia, edited by C. Marsh and P. Morris, pp. 82–105. London, England: Falmer. Lam, C. (2007). The Compliance Tradition and Teachers’ Instructional Decision-Making in a Centralised Education System: A Case Study of Junior Secondary Geography Teaching in Changchun, China. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 16(3), 233–249.
• Li, J. (2008). A Comprehensive Narrative on the Reduction of Primary and Secondary Students’ Learning Burdens. [In Chinese]. Journal of Schooling Studies, 4, 6-9. Ministry of Education. (2001). Outlines for Basic Education Curriculum Reform. [in Chinese]. People's Education, 9, 6–8.
• Ministry of Education (2003). Senior Secondary School Geography Standards [in Chinese]. Beijing: People’s Education Publisher.
• Noddings, N. (1996). Stories and Affect in Teacher Education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 26(3), 435-447.
• Park, D.Y. (2005). Differences Between a Standards-Based Curriculum and Traditional Textbooks in High School Earth Science. Journal of Geoscience Education, 53(5), 540-547.
• PEP’s Geography and Social Studies Division. (2003). Geography (part two) [in Chinese]. Beijing: People’s Education Publisher.
• Peterson, J. (1998). A demonstration of a textbook evaluation procedure. Unpublished MA Assignment. University of Reading, England.
• Poole, R. (1971). Characteristics of the taxonomy of educational objectives: Cognitive domain. Psychology in the Schools, 8(4), 379–385.
• Remillard, J. T. (2000). Can curriculum materials support teachers’ learning? Elementary School Journal, 100 (4), 331- 350.
• Rourke, L., Anderson, T., Garrison, D. R., and Archer, W. (2003). Methodological issues in the content analysis of computer conference transcripts. In D. R. Garrison & T. Anderson (Eds.), E-learning in the 21st century: A framework for research and practice. London: Routledge Falmer.
• Stemler, S. (2001). An introduction to content analysis. College Park, MD: ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation. (ERIC No. ED458218).
• Tang, R.W. & Yang, R.H. (2013). Where Can We See Students' Academic Burden Is Heavy? [In Chinese]. Educational Development Research (6), 31–31.
• Webb, N. (2007). Issues Related to Judging the Alignment of Curriculum Standards and Assessments. Applied Measurement in Education, 20(1), 7–25.
• Valverde, G. A., Bianchi, L. J., Wolfe, R. G., Schmidt, W. H., & Houang, R. T. (2002). According to the book: Using TIMSS to investigate the translation of policy into practice through the world of textbook. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
• Yasar, O. (2009). A Comparative Analysis of Assessment and Evaluation Assessments Included in Geography Textbooks Written According to the 2005 Secondary Education Geography Curriculum and Textbooks of the Former Curriculum in Turkey. International Journal of Progressive Education, 15(1), 45–68.
• Yasar, O.; Seremet, M. (2007). A comparative analysis regarding pictures included in secondary school geography textbooks taught in Turkey. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 16(2), 157–187.
• Yuan, S. (2001). Geographical Education [in Chinese]. Beijing: Higher Education Press.
• Yang, D. (2013). Comparing Assessments Within Junior Geography Textbooks Used in Mainland China. Journal of Geography, 112(2), 58-67
• Zhang, H. (2004) On the Integration of Knowledge, Attitudes and Motor skills. [In Chinese]. Basic Education Research, 5, 16-18.
• Zhang, H. (2011). Over 50 Percent Adoption Rate of Textbooks for the People’s Education Publisher. [In Chinese]. http://www.pep.com.cn/rjs/rjdt/rjdt/xgwz/201109/t20110923_1071247.htm,(accessed December 15, 2014).
• Zhao, J. (2004). The Existing Problems in Geographical Education and the Solutions. [In Chinese]. Journal of Teachers College of Qingdao University, 21(1), 93-95.
• Zhu, H. (2010). Do not let the Assessments Be a Burden for Students. [In Chinese].The Guide of Science & Education, (5), 56-58.